the february review

and some important changes!

Hi sweetpeas 🫛 a belated february review coming your way today! I was trying to find a fun way to write “I’ve been busy!” but I can’t think of a more slick way to put it. In a predictable and seasonal turn of events, I got sick, so the first week of the month was a write-off. I finally published my twenties retrospective, editing together a decade’s worth of footage to make a rather surreal video of me growing older and the lessons I learned along the way. I’ve also had more in-person commitments, a vision session with my management and working with Tate on a dream campaign to name two. And as I just mentioned, I’ve also been preoccupied with my birthday celebrations! I’m so grateful to have made it another year around the sun. 🌞

The hectic back and forth of February made me realise that I’m trying to do too much, too well. I’ve felt a heaviness over me as I haven’t been delivering as much as I promised over here since the start of the year. This month made me realise there’s no point in me doing lots of things a little bit well, and right now I’m putting my all into my long and short form videos, making and releasing music, plus building this community. By spreading too thin, I don’t give any one project the opportunity to thrive. I have to accept that I can’t do everything to the standard I want to right now, it’s too much for one person and if I keep trying, I’m going to burn out. I want to make Studio 168 as sustainable and fun as possible, so that in busy seasons I’m still here and not sitting with the guilt that I’m not giving enough. All of this to say: I think I have to make some changes.

Firstly, Studio 168 isn’t going anywhere. Subscribers will still get demos, the monthly review will keep coming out for everyone and founding members are still getting their totes (they’re in production as we speak!)

So whats changing? I’m no longer formally committing to any additional monthly posts — I’m hoping that taking away the pressure will make it easier for me to create when I have the capacity. There’s a lot I want to write and record, there are many ideas are lurking in my drafts, it’s just a matter of time! Moving forward, the only content that will be officially paywalled as part of the subscriber offering are my demos. By subscribing, you support me in making music and writing, and you get to preview what I’m working on and be in on something no one else gets to hear, which I hope is a fair exchange! As you can imagine, the songs take a long time to make and are, in my opinion, my best work. By switching things up, I’m hoping I’ll post more fluidly and build a better community, more slowly, over here.

Thanks for bearing with me and adapting as I navigate the balancing act of this new season. Hopefully this means no filler content, a better community and better quality overall on Studio 168 ♥️

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wearing —

I was Queen Outfit Repeater this month, although one very non-repeatable outfit did make an appearance. I spent the twenty-eight days in the same two jackets and three pairs of trousers/jeans with very little variation other than my birthday look. For my party, I rented a bejewelled Love Shack Fancy dress that was so sweet but in hindsight didn’t quite work for me. I felt like a princess, but more in the dress-up sense than the royalty one. I love a dress and combat boots as much as the next girl but the gems kept catching my tights, and three pairs later I begrudgingly accepted that emo-girl-at-prom was my sartorial fate. It made clear to me that I’m leaning into a different style lately, an accidental identity-forming exercise. Past me would have loved this fit but 2025 Lucy wants something a bit different for herself, which was a good lesson to learn!

watching —

Not a specific recommendation as such, but we finally sorted out our tv space in the living room! After three years of using part of Jack’s old makeshift wardrobe as a TV stand 🫠 the kind people at Sky UK asked us if we would like their new Sky Glass telly (answer was of course yes — also this was gifted but with no obligation to post) and can confirm, it’s improved the space so much. I’m a silver TV convert, it looks so sleek now! To replace the questionable stand itself, we finally bit the bullet and bought the tv unit we’ve wanted for years from Tikamoon, a simple bench in a dark wood that has really completed the space.

iamlucymoon

A post shared by @iamlucymoon

listening —

Okay so, don’t judge me but Tate Mcrae’s album is being studied over here. I’m so inspired by the drums and melodic (or lack thereof) choices on the singles, it’s so In-The-Zone-era Britney without feeling like a pastiche. It’s also cool to see what artist development looks like in the 2020s, it feels so rare these days but Ryan Tedder’s team has nurtured Tate’s sound so well and it’s inspiring so listen to something so coherent.

I met Sephy and Wing from Goes Without Saying at the Companion screening in January, they were so nice and in the days that followed I started listening to their podcast. If you’re looking for a sweet, comforting and relatable chats about indecision paralysis, intellectualisation in pop culture discourse and social trends, I think you’ll like it!

As always, you can listen to all of my new song discoveries on my current rotation playlist here 💿

reading —

My friend Shope recommended an essay by

Stefan Kelly

in her recent Kind Regards newsletter, which I read with my mouth gradually falling further and further open. It’s a firecracker, a reminder of how much we talk (and judge) but how little we do. It’s meandering and keeps you on edge, a writing style I haven’t encountered before and really enjoyed. Next time you have ten minutes to kill, give it a read.

following —

I am loving Eva Meloche’s vlogs at the moment — understated, calming and reflective, I love her energy and editing style.

forward thinking —

We have a tentative date for Dad’s surgery at the end of this month, so I’m trying to plan ahead and ensure I can be as flexible as possible in the days and weeks that follow. From everything I’ve read it seems to be a relatively straightforward operation, but as you can imagine I’m still a bit nervous. Doing my best to act better than I feel about it all and prepare my mind adequately, embracing the journalling and meditation for the foreseeable 🧘‍♀️ please keep your fingers and toes crossed for him!

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